Completely free ranging ducks?

[DuckyDonna]

I found, when I first brought home four ducks, that they acted quite traumatized. It took a long time for them to do normal duck things when we were present.
Currently, don't think they use their duck house at all, which I can't figure out. They're put up in a mostly secure run overnight.

I was letting my ducks free range, and I intend to again. However, I've lost four ducks to the same fox. It attacks during the later afternoon, around 430. It listens for their chattering I'm sure, and since they always congregate in areas where there's bushes, it just sneaks up and snatches one. Ducks make super easy prey


...little does the fox know that the tables may have turned...

I don't know what to say about that. I just would protect them at all costs. It's not that hard.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

I don't know what to say about that. I just would protect them at all costs. It's not that hard.

We don't believe in keeping animals in cages all day. Interesting you would enter a thread on free ranging ducks if you cannot stomach the idea of ducks being lost to predators while free ranging?
Run construction, one that a fox won't get through, is ridiculously expensive. Our first duck loss was literally ripped THROUGH the chain link fence. Not under, not over, not by any other typical run weakness point. Why cage them 24/7 if the cage doesn't protect either?

 

[Serin]

Don't remove the pen, or they will roost on or near the water and be taken by predators. Lock up at night or foxes and raccoons will grab them through the fences - they should be able to avoid that during the day.

IMO if someone lets their animals run wild, the wild animals have the right to eat them.

 

[slippednfell]

I found, when I first brought home four ducks, that they acted quite traumatized. It took a long time for them to do normal duck things when we were present.l
Currently, don't think they use their duck house at all, which I can't figure out. They're put up in a mostly secure run overnight.

I was letting my ducks free range, and I intend to again. However, I've lost four ducks to the same fox. It attacks during the later afternoon, around 430. It listens for their chattering I'm sure, and since they always congregate in areas where there's bushes, it just sneaks up and snatches one. Ducks make super easy prey


...little does the fox know that the tables may have turned...

I'm sorry to hear about the fox and your ducks.

We've had the ducks for about 10 weeks now. We would put them in a large dog crate with no bottom on warm days to forage the greens and they enjoyed being outside. Since we didn't just throw them outside, I don't understand why they are acting like they were just dumped on another planet. I guess maybe the bigness of it might have something to do with it? They are surrounded by chain link kennel panels so fox shouldn't be an issue until I do let them free range.

So confused

 

[DuckyBabies]

I have 17 acres complete with a pond, but my ducks stay in my fence in the back yard and get put in the coop before the sun sets. Every once in a while if we are out by the barn, we let the ducks roam with supervision. There would be no way of getting them back if we let them roam the full 17 acres all day. Also, we have coyotes and raccoons, and all kinds of other stuff back there. I don’t believe they would make it a day. It’s all up to how you feel about the potential loss of your ducks. It’s one of those things that come with free ranging. There is always a risk of them being picked off by something.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

If you see my post above, you'll see that chain link Kennel didn't protect as I expected it would.

We ended up fortifying the run with a combination of fill dirt/rock, wood slabs, and galvanized steel sheets of fencing. Don't recall a particular name for it. Since my ducks are short, I just went with 2' high 1/4", bought a huge roll, cutting and placing around entire lower perimeterprior to backfilling. We bought a roll of bigger gauge metal wire that we cut into pieces, bent in a U, and twisted the ends wrapped around sections of the chain link + steel fencing to secure it.
My biggest weakness is the open top now. After the goat pasture, we just didn't have the cash yet to do a roof. There's two 10x10 kennel runs placed together at a corner (allowing easy separation of the two kennels) so the timber framing alone will cost a pretty penny.
Ughhh... animals.

 

[slippednfell]

If you see my post above, you'll see that chain link Kennel didn't protect as I expected it would.

We ended up fortifying the run with a combination of fill dirt/rock, wood slabs, and galvanized steel sheets of fencing. Don't recall a particular name for it. Since my ducks are short, I just went with 2' high 1/4", bought a huge roll, cutting and placing around entire lower perimeterprior to backfilling. We bought a roll of bigger gauge metal wire that we cut into pieces, bent in a U, and twisted the ends wrapped around sections of the chain link + steel fencing to secure it.
My biggest weakness is the open top now. After the goat pasture, we just didn't have the cash yet to do a roof. There's two 10x10 kennel runs placed together at a corner (allowing easy separation of the two kennels) so the timber framing alone will cost a pretty penny.
Ughhh... animals.

I saw it after I replied to another post. I am wondering if chicken wire attached to the chain link might do the trick... We also have two 10 x 10 kennels together but with no divider between them.

I know what you mean about the spare cash... to do more... what we do for our animals!

 

[PirateGirl]

Ducks don't put themselves to bed and sleep all night like chickens do. Ducks are active and awake much of the night. They will eat and drink and swim and hang out after dark. Yes, they can learn the routine of "going to bed" but if the door to their house is left open they will come back out again later.

 

[DuckyDonna]

We don't believe in keeping animals in cages all day. Interesting you would enter a thread on free ranging ducks if you cannot stomach the idea of ducks being lost to predators while free ranging?
Run construction, one that a fox won't get through, is ridiculously expensive. Our first duck loss was literally ripped THROUGH the chain link fence. Not under, not over, not by any other typical run weakness point. Why cage them 24/7 if the cage doesn't protect either?

Well, I don't know what I was thinking inputting on this thread!

 

[katiebrock]

Ducks don't put themselves to bed and sleep all night like chickens do. Ducks are active and awake much of the night. They will eat and drink and swim and hang out after dark. Yes, they can learn the routine of "going to bed" but if the door to their house is left open they will come back out again later.

Yes, this is true. Mine go in there by habit every night, but they do during the day sometimes too whenever they want to rest, and I know they don’t stay in all night.